Familiar faces on Time's 100 Most Influential People list

Time Magazine's annual 100 Most Influential People issue hits newsstands on Friday. Among the politicians, business leaders and other behind-the-scenes types, readers may be more familiar with these inclusions, starting with the issue's cover girl, Beyoncé Knowles.

By John Boyd

on April 24, 2014 9:52 AM

Photo: Jonathan Alcorn/for the Chronicle

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Beyoncé Knowles, musician

"She's the boss," writes Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, in her guest profile of Knowles for Time. “Beyonce doesn't just sit at the table. She builds a better one. ... "Her secret ... hard work, honesty and authenticity. And her answer to the question, 'What would you do if you weren’t afraid? appears to be 'Watch me. I’m about to do it.' Then she adds, 'You can, too.'"

He is "the most surprising actor in Hollywood," says Time. Richard Linklater directed McConaughey in his breakout role on "Dazed & Confused" and wrote of the actor McConaughey now has become, "There are stars that suck up all the energy in the room—Matthew maximizes the energy and shares it."

Matthew McConaughey, actor He is "the most surprising... Photo-5701625.84496 - Houston Chronicle

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Miley Cyrus, pop singer

"If I didn't know how smart and talented Miley is, I might be worried," writes country legend Dolly Parton in her Time profile of Cyrus. "But I’ve watched her grow up. So I don’t. She knows what she’s doing. ... The girl can sing. The girl is smart. And she doesn’t have to be so drastic. But I will respect her choices. I did it my way, so why can’t she do it her way?"

President Barack Obama guest wrote the Time profile on the Catholic leader. "His Holiness has moved us with his message of inclusion, especially for the poor, the marginalized and the outcast. But it has been his deeds, his bearing, the gestures at once simple and profound — embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners — that have inspired us all."

Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth writes of Cumberbatch, "It’s rare to the point of outlandish to find so many variables in one actor, including features which ought to be incompatible: vulnerability, a sense of danger, a clear intellect, honesty, courage — and a rather alarming energy."

Longtime pal Amy Poehler writes of her former "SNL" castmate, " It’s a brutal business, this late-night game. Thankfully the new kid in town is an old pro with a kind set of eyes and the skills to pay the bills."

Fellow actress Naomi Watts says of the "House of Cards" star, "Her process was invisible yet so present. Her wild intensity beams extraordinary light — it bleeds into every actor she works with and audience member who watches her."

In his guest profile of Ronaldo, soccer icon Pelé writes, "I greatly respect his competitive mind-set on the field, and it’s no surprise that he is currently considered the best soccer player in the world. ... Back when I played, I would have loved having a teammate like Cristiano to play with up front."

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, singer and composer of "Let It Go"

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the "South Park" creators who also produced the Broadway musical smash "The Book of Mormon" with Lopez, wrote of the duo "It’s catchy and familiar and yet new. It’s that perfect mix where a songwriter can get a song you’ve never heard before stuck in your head in 30 seconds."

Adams is "the cinematic chameleon," says Time. Fellow actress Emily Blunt writes, "She’s silly and funny and dirty. And she’s incredibly honest. She’s self-admittedly terrible at small talk and hiding her feelings, which I really admire in an industry full of gush. She’s also spooky-good at her job. There’s a certain mystique about Amy that helps the audience go with her ... And I don't think she's discovered her full bag of tricks even yet."

Writer/director Judd Apatow says of the comedy duo, "I don’t laugh out loud much anymore. I have seen way too much comedy, and one might say I am dead inside. But Key and Peele make me laugh — hard. They are smart, satirical, ridiculous, pointless, political, subversive, immature and important all at the same time. They know what they are doing and are ready for their moment."

Paul is "the libertarian champion," says Time. "Any political party worth its salt is always on the lookout for converts," says fellow Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell. "But no one in either party today brings the level of missionary zeal to the task that Rand Paul does. "

Time calls her "the champion who won't give up." Fellow sports star Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat writes, "There is no doubt that she has made an incredible impact on the world of tennis, but it’s her determination to never give up that has always resonated with me. Serena is a friend, but I also look up to her as a fellow athlete."

Time calls Brown, "California's turnaround artist." Former California Gov. Gray Davis writes, "Always ahead of his time, he’s focused on fighting climate change, improving poorly performing schools, building America’s first high-speed rail and overhauling California’s broken water system — supporting America’s largest agricultural economy.
No longer the new kid, he’s now the adult in the room — the wise steward of our state’s resources."

Time calls her "the advocate for women leaders." Malala Yousafzi, a female Pakistani activist who defied the Taliban to attend school, wrote of Clinton, "Her life and leadership show women what we can achieve if we believe in our own strength and if we channel our inner creativity, compassion and determination. A world with more women leaders will be a better world, and Hillary Clinton is helping make that possible."

Time calls him "the NBA player who went first." Chelsea Clinton met Collins at Stanford and wrote in Collins' Time profile, "Jason’s kindness and fierceness alike derive from that word too often bandied about and too rarely true: integrity. Jason has always maintained he’s first a basketball player. He is. But he’s also a leader and an inspiration."

Jason Collins, first openly gay player in the NBA Time calls him... Photo-5938444.84496 - Houston Chronicle

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Alfonso Cuarón, director and screenwriter

Time calls him the "master of the universe" for his work in writing and directing the critically-acclaimed blockbuster "Gravity." He also has directed such favorites as "Children of Men," Y Tu Mama Tambien," and "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

Time credits him as "the broadcast journalist who disarms the powerful."

Charlie Rose, journalist

Time credits him as "the broadcast journalist who disarms the powerful."

Photo: Chris Pizzello, INVL

Charlie Rose, journalist Time credits him as "the broadcast... Photo-5015876.84496 - Houston Chronicle

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Kerry Washington, actress and activistTime calls her an actress "who projects strength amid scandal." Valerie Jarrett, an adviser to the Obama administration who has worked with Washington in her activist role, says, "Kerry Washington has used her grace and vibrant magnetism to transcend age, race and gender, and to provide a new mainstream media lens through which to view modern womanhood and professional excellence." less

Kerry Washington, actress and activist
Time calls her an actress "who projects strength amid scandal." Valerie Jarrett, an adviser to the Obama administration who has worked with Washington in her activist role, ... more

The director of the Academy Award-winning "12 Years a Slave" is "the passionate storyteller," Time says. Actress Lupita Nyong'o writes of her former director, "Steve is a genius at what he does, but he doesn’t impose his genius on you. It really feels collaborative and exploratory to work with him. What he managed to create was a sacred space where everyone respected the story we were telling. He gave us reassurance that this was for something bigger than all of us."

John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State Time calls the former... Photo-6181481.84496 - Houston Chronicle

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Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson writes of Kim, "Kim’s disregard for a desperately poor citizenry raises the eternal North Korean question: How much suffering can human beings tolerate? Unless he starts taking care of his people, the young generalissimo may be the first Kim to find out."